[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 21, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3094-3095]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1359]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Amendment of Quota and Visa Requirements for Discharge Printed 
Fabric Produced or Manufactured in Egypt

January 14, 1998.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs amending 
quota and visa requirements.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 22, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Helen L. LeGrande, International Trade 
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, (202) 482-4212.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Authority: Section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as 
amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1862, as 
amended.

    In exchange of notes dated December 3, 1997 and December 29, 1997, 
the Governments of the United States and Egypt agreed that discharge 
printed fabric classified in Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers 
5208.52.3035, 5208.52.4035, 5209.51.6032 (Category 313), 5209.51.6015 
(Category 314), 5208.52.4055 (Category 315), 5208.59.2085 (Category 
317), 5208.59.2015, 5209.59.0015 and 5211.59.0015 (Category 326) which 
is produced or manufactured in Egypt and imported on or after January 
1, 1998 will no longer be subject to visa requirements and will not be 
subject to 1998 limits. The new designation for Categories 313, 314, 
315, 317, 317 and 326 will be part-category 313-O, 314-O, 315-O, 317-O, 
and 326-O, respectively. The 1998 quota levels established for 
Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 remain the same for the newly 
established part-categories.
    Also effective on January 22, 1998, products in Categories 313, 
314, 315, 317 and 326, produced or manufactured in Egypt and exported 
from Egypt on or after January 1, 1998 must be accompanied by a 313-O, 
314-O, 315-O, 317-O and 326-O part-category visa. There will be a grace 
period from January 1, 1998 through January 31, 1998 during which 
products exported from Egypt in Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 
may be accompanied by the whole or new part-category visa. A visa will 
not be required for discharge printed fabric in Categories 313, 314, 
315, 317 and 326 beginning on January 1, 1998, regardless of the date 
of export.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to amend the export quota and visa 
requirements.
    A description of the textile and apparel categories in terms of HTS 
numbers is available in the CORRELATION: Textile and Apparel Categories 
with the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (see Federal 
Register notice 62 FR 66057, published on December 17, 1997). Also see 
52 FR 48857 published on December 28, 1987; 55 FR 49936, published on 
December 3, 1990; and 62 FR 67829, published on December 30, 1997.
D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
January 14, 1998.

Commissioner of Customs,
Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20229.

    Dear Commissioner: This directive amends, but does not cancel, 
the directive issued to you on December 22, 1997, by the Chairman, 
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. That 
directive concerns imports of certain cotton, wool and man-made 
fiber textile products, produced or manufactured in Egypt and 
exported during the twelve-month period which began on January 1, 
1998 and extends through December 31, 1998.
    Effective on January 22, 1998, discharge printed fabric 
classified in Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers 5208.52.3035, 
5208.52.4035, 5209.51.6032 (Category 313), 5209.51.6015 (Category 
314), 5208.52.4055 (Category 315), 5208.59.2085 (Category 317), 
5208.59.2015, 5209.59.0015 and 5211.59.0015 (Category 326) which is 
produced or manufactured in Egypt and imported on or after January 
1, 1998 will no longer be subject to visa requirements and will not 
be subject to 1998 limits, pursuant to exchange of notes dated 
December 3, 1997 and December 29, 1997 between the governments of 
the United States and Egypt. The new designation for Categories 313, 
314, 315, 317 and 326 will be Categories 313-O \1\, 314-O \2\, 315-O 
\3\, 317-O \4\ and 326-O \5\, respectively.
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    \1\ Category 313-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.52.3035, 
5208.52.4035 and 5209.51.6032.
    \2\ Category 314-O: all HTS numbers except 5209.51.6015.
    \3\ Category 315-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.52.4055.
    \4\ Category 317-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.59.2085.
    \5\ Category 326-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.59.2015, 
5209.59.0015 and 5211.59.0015.
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    The 1998 quota levels established for Categories 313, 314, 315, 
317 and 326 remain the same for the newly established part-
Categories 313-O, 314-O, 315-O, 317-O and 326-O.
    Also effective on January 22, 1998, you are directed to amend 
further the directive dated December 21, 1987 to require a part-
category visa for Categories 313-O, 314-O, 315-O, 317-O and 326-O, 
produced or manufactured in Egypt and exported on or after January 
1, 1998. There will be a grace period from January 1, 1998 through 
January 31, 1998 during which products exported from Egypt in 
Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 may be accompanied by the 
whole or new part-category visa. A visa will not be required for 
discharge printed fabric in Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 
beginning January 1, 1998, regardless of the date of export.
    Shipments entered or withdrawn from warehouse according to this 
directive which

[[Page 3095]]

are not accompanied by an appropriate export visa shall be denied 
entry and a new visa must be obtained.
    The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has 
determined that these actions fall within the foreign affairs 
exception to the rulemaking provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1).
    Sincerely,
D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.
[FR Doc. 98-1359 Filed 1-20-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F